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BOTD - Beer Of The Day - 2016

Prairie Ace Farmhouse on tap. Pretty sure it's the hops that give this farmhouse an unfamiliar feel. Also sampled the wife's Anderson Valley Hop Ottin IPA, which neither of us was crazy about. Dissapointed that the barrel of Wyerbacher Sunday Molé Stout had been emptied. I'd like to try it!
 
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Xocoveza (Stone) from a bottle.

I'm really liking Stone Brewing. Tonight's trick-or-treating hand outs was accompanied by Stone's Coffee Milk Stout, poured into Stone Brewing's can glass (it has the logo and the gargoyle etched into the glass). Really smooth, probably the best milk stout I've had. I also picked up another 6 of the Xocoveza. I WANTED to try their Vanilla Bean Porter, but it's only available in their Cabin Fever Mixed 12 pack... too many IPA's in there for my taste, but a tip of the cap to their marketing technique!

Don
 
I'll have to give their brews more of a chance. I had that Xocoveza after the Milk Chocolate Porter yesterday, and WOW! did the spices come through!
 
Brooklyn Brewery Dark Chocolate Stout. Seasonal release from Brooklyn Brewery.

This is actually an Imperial Russian stout, and clocks in at 10% ABV. This is the range where I have to start being really careful:blushing:. It's a pretty good stout, but a tad boozy. One is definitely enough. I'll gladly finish the six, but I don't think I'll be restocking this one.

Don
 
Brooklyn Brewery Dark Chocolate Stout. Seasonal release from Brooklyn Brewery.

This is actually an Imperial Russian stout, and clocks in at 10% ABV. This is the range where I have to start being really careful:blushing:. It's a pretty good stout, but a tad boozy. One is definitely enough. I'll gladly finish the six, but I don't think I'll be restocking this one.

Don

IMO Brooklyn BCS really needs some cellaring time. I think it is just okay fresh and as you note "boozy" but with six months to three years of aging it really comes into its own. Most of my cellaring is just that at 55F - 60F, a dedicated beer fridge set cooler (say 45F to 50F) might require more time or if warmer cellaring temps less time. I think BCS with a year on it rivals many if not most, much more expensive, imperial stouts.
 
Thanks for the tip! To be honest, I've never really considered letting ANY beer age... it might help!

Don

IME dark beers that are above 8% ABV are the best candidates to improve with aging, e.g. imperial stouts, barley wines, Belgian or Belgian-style strong dark ales/quads, etc.. I certainly doesn't help every beer but some loose that overt boozy quality and the flavors blend better.
On the other hand I try to drink pales ales, IPAs, IIPAs/DIPAs, pilsners and hefeweizens as fresh as possible. Saisons are an odd case, I wouldn't say that aging improves them but the European ones at least seem to hold up to storage better than most lower alcohol pale beers. Lambics and gueuze also tend to hold up well.
 
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